Improvement in hydrants



UNITED' STATES PATENT JOEEICE.

WILLIAM II. MGMILLAN, or PHILADELPHIA, rENNsYnvANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRANTS.

Specification forming-part of Letters Patent No. 164,856, dated June2:2, 1875; application led May 14, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MCMILLAN, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,have invented certain Improvements in Hydrants and Fire- Plugs, of whichthe following is a specification:

rlhe main object of my invention is to so construct a fire-plug orhydrant, and so apply it to a chest communicating with a main disftributing pipe or pipes, that the plug can be readily removed andreplaced without cutting off the water from the said chest, and withoutinterfering with the flow of water to adjoining plugs, other features ofthe invention relating to a device for draining the barrels ofthe plugsand for operating the main valves of the same.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l isa vertical section, showing twolire-plugs made according to my invention 5 and Fig. 2, a plan view ot'the chest to which the plugs are applied.

Inthe present instance the plugs are illustrated as applied to a chest,A, with four branches adapted to the intersection of two maindistributing-pipes, the chest being arranged for the reception of fourplugs, two of which appear in Fig. 1. In the top of the chest are fourflanged openings, into each of which is screwed, or in which isotherwise secured, a tube, B,' and to the latter is secured the upperend, a, of a chest, D, containing the foot-valve E, the stem b of whichpasses through and is guided by the bottom of the said chest, aspring,d, tending to maintain the valve in contact with its seat. Each chest Dhas openings at the sides and bottom for the free access of water fromthe chest A. Into the upper end of each tube B is screwed the lower endof the barrel K of the plug, through a stuffing-box at the top of whichpasses the spindle F of the main valve G, the latter being adapted to aseat on the lower end of the barrel, and the upper end of the spindlebeing attached to a slide, II, adapted to guides on a projection, I, ofthe barrel, this projection terminating in a hub, t', which is threadedinternally for the reception of the externally-threaded tube J, the

latter being also threaded internally for the reception of the threadedstem M of the slidell.

It will be observed that the screw-thread of the tube J is left-handedand that of the stem M right-handed, so that by a comparatively slighteffort exerted on the operating-handle N of the tube J, and by .acomparatively limited movement of the tube, an extended movementof theslide H, valve-spindle F, and -its valve Gr may be obtained.

On each barrel K is a branch, m, furnished with the usual detachablescrew-plug.

The spindle F is continued below the valve G, and enters a centralorifice in the foot-valve E, and the two valves are so arranged andadjusted that the foot-valve E will not be opened until the valve Gr isslightly depressed and the valve q closed, but will be the first toreach its seat in closing the valve.

The waste-valve is applied to the spindle F in the manner shown at theright-hand side of Fig. and in the sectional plan, Fig. 3, anenlargement of the spindle in this case carrying two segmental valves,q', adapted to openings in the barrel K, and having stems adapted to anopening in the enlarged portion of the spindle, and acted upon by aspring contained in said opening, which spring, in connection with thepressure ofthe water on the backs ofthe valves, maintains the latter incontact with their seats.

Each plug with its spindle and valve can be readily Vdetached from thechest A, in vdoing which the foot-valve immediately below that plugwhich is being thus detached must necessaril y be closed to its scat bythe pressure ot' the water and by its spring, so that the iiow ot' waterto the other plugs of the group is in no way interrupted, and the usualshut-off valves are dispensed with.

In order to prevent the tube B from being withdrawn with the barrel K, Isecure the said tube to the chest A by means of a set-screw, s, or othermeans which will prevent its turning.

Although I have shown a group of four plugs applied to one chest, A, thelatter may be adapted to one plug only, or to any desired number ofplugs which circumstances may demand.

It will be evident that my invention may be applied to hydrants in amanner which will be readily understood without description.

A suitable casing (indicated by dotted lilies 90,) should surround theplug or group of plugs.

I claim as my inventionl. The chest A at the intersection of two or morestreetmains, combined with two or more hydrant orplngbarrels, K,communicating with aid chest and provided with'valves7 all as set orth.

2. The combination of the chest- A, barrels K, and valves E, arranged tobe closed upon the removal of the barrels from the chest.

3. The combination of the valve-spindle with the openings w in thebarrel K, and with segmental spring-Valves q q', for closing orunclosing the said openings.

4. The combination of the valve-spindle F of a lire-plug or hydrant withthe externally and internally threaded tiibe J, adapted to the' threadedprojection i, and to the threaded stem M of the guided slide H, attachedto the said spindle, all substantially as set forth'.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specca-tion in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WlLLIAM H. M CMILLAN.

Witnesses: f

HUBERT HoWsoN, HARRY SMITH.

